CHAPTER VIII.
WAYS THAT ARE DARK.
As we know, Sedgwick went first with Browning to the hamlet in Devonshirewhere Jack's early home had been. Browning was recognized, of course. Anold friend of Hamlin's was at the church, spoke to Jack, and witnessedSedgwick's encounter with the bull. He knew under what circumstancesyoung Browning left home, and so on that Sunday evening he wrote toHamlin that his step-son was in Devonshire, told him of the episode at thechurch, and informed the old man that the companion of his son, though aquiet and refined-appearing man enough, must be a prize-fighter indisguise. He further stated that Jack had told him that he and his friendhad been working in the mines at Virginia City, Nevada, for three or fouryears. He added the strong suspicion that the complexion of the menindicated that they had not been in the mines at all. (His idea of aminer was a coal-miner, and not one from the Comstock mine, where thereis no coal dust, and where the thermometer indicates a tropical climatealways.)
This letter reached Hamlin early on Monday. Being a half banker and halfbroker himself, he turned at once to the page in the bank directory,giving American banks and their London connections. He found the Nevadabranch bank and California branch bank of Virginia City, and what banksin London they drew upon, and hastened first to the Nevada bank's Londonagency. He could obtain no news there. Then he sought the other, andknowing the management, he explained to one of the directors that hisson was on the way home, was already in England, and asked himconfidentially, both as a father and a brother banker, whether any credithad come for the boy. The director ran over his correspondence, and,looking up with a smile, said:
"Is your son's name John Browning? If it is, he has bills of exchangeupon us for L100,000."
The old man was paralyzed. "It cannot be possible," he said. "Greatheavens! L100,000!"
"Those are the figures sent us," said the cashier, "and we received amighty invoice of Nevada bullion by the last ship from New York. There isno mistake."
Then an effort was made to see if another man named Sedgwick had anycredit, but nothing was found. Enjoining upon the banker the utmostsecrecy in regard to his being at the bank, the old man went away.
The question with him was what to do. His business was not veryprosperous, because he had not capital enough. Then, too, he was in debtto Jenvie. He wanted the lion's share of that money, and, more than ever,he wanted Jack to marry Grace.
Then what did Jack mean by bringing a prize-fighter home with him? He wasworried. Finally he determined to consult with Jenvie, his partner. Heknew he did not like Jack, and he had, moreover, received hints from himthat he was getting along well in making a match between Rose and a richbroker named Arthur Stetson, who had met her and been carried away by herbeauty.
So, calling Jenvie into their most private office, Hamlin bolted the doorto prevent interruption, read him the letter received from Devonshire,and told him of the astounding discovery he had made at the ---- bank.The question was, what course to take.
"I believe Rose likes Jack," said Jenvie. "She grieved exceedingly whenhe went away, though she hid it so superbly that only her mother knewabout it, and she has rejected every suitor since except Stetson, andI fear when the climax comes she will reject him. The chances are, whenJack comes they will rush into each other's arms. At the same time, I donot want him for a son-in-law. But I would like to get some of the moneyinto the firm, for we need more capital badly."
They plotted all that day, and next morning decided that on the arrivalof Jack they would welcome him; let the matter between him and Rose takeits course, but in case of an engagement would prevent an immediatemarriage, if possible, and see, in the meantime, what could be donetoward working Jack for a part, at least, of his money. With thatarrangement decided upon, when a message came from Hamlin's home thatJack had returned and had gone to the hotel, they were ready, and incompany went to greet him and escort him home.
Sedgwick had to be invited also, and that suited them, for they bothdesired to know what kind of a man he was. Both were satisfied, too, thathe had no money, or he would have obtained a credit where Jack hadobtained his exchange. When, at the first dinner, Grace had drawn fromhim that he had been in Texas and had seen cowboys, they both guessedwhere he had caught the trick which he had put in practice in Devonshire,and, thenceforth, save as a careless friend that careless Jack had pickedup, they dropped Sedgwick from their calculations.
How Jack got his money was the greatest mystery; and so a few days afterhis coming, his father said to him: "Jack, I hope you have come home tostay. Look around and find some business that you think will suit you,and I will buy it for you if it does not take too much money."
"Thanks, father," said Jack; "much obliged, but I have a few pounds of myown."
"How much are miner's wages in Virginia City?" asked the old man.
"Four dollars a day; about twenty-four pounds a month," said Jack.
"And what are the expenses?" was the next question.
"Four shillings a day for board; three pounds per month for a room, andclothes and cigars to any amount you please," said Jack.
"Why, you could not have saved more than L150 or L160 per annum at thoserates," said the old man.
"No," said Jack; "a good many may not do as well as that; but I had a fewpounds which were invested by a friend in Con-Virginia when it was threedollars a share, and it was sold when it was worth a good bit more."
The old man had learned the secret. He asked one more question. "Did yourfriend Sedgwick do as well as you did?"
Jack thought of Sedgwick's injunction, so answered:
"He made a good bit of money, something like L20,000, but he turned itover to his father in Ohio. I think the plan is to buy a place near theold home. He only brought a few hundred pounds with him. Indeed, he onlyran over to oblige me. We were old friends; at one time we worked on thesame shift in the mine."
The old man was satisfied. Moreover, he saw his opportunity.
"What a wonderful business that mining is," he said. "Stetson, the brokerover the way, is promoting a mining enterprise in South Africa. Accordingto the showing, it is an immense property. Here is the prospectus of thecompany. Put it in your pocket, and at your leisure run over it."
Jack carelessly put the pamphlet in his pocket. That evening he was withRose and remained pretty late. When he sought his room he could notsleep, so he ran over the statement. It was a captivating showing. Themine was called the "Wedge of Gold." It was located in the Transvaal. Themain ledge was fully sixteen feet wide, with an easy average value of sixpounds per ton in free gold, besides deposits and spurs that went muchhigher. The vein was exposed for several hundred feet, and opened by ashaft 300 feet deep, with long drifts on each of the levels. The countrywas healthy, supplies cheap, plenty of good wood and water, and the onlything needed was a mill for reducing the ore. The incorporation calledfor 150,000 shares of stock of the par value of one pound per share, andthe pamphlet explained that 50,000 shares were set aside to be sold toraise means for a working capital, to build the mill, etc.
Browning read the paper over twice, then tumbled into bed, and his dreamswere all mixed up; part of the time he was counting gold bars, part ofthe time it seemed to him that Rose was near him, but when he spoke toher, every time she vanished away. Between the visions he made the worstkind of a night of it, and next morning told Jim that he was more beatout than ever he was when he came off shift on the Comstock.
The Wedge of Gold Page 8